New Success in Egypt for DCNS and its FREMM Frigate (plus some technical details)

New Success in Egypt for DCNS and its FREMM Frigate (plus some technical details)

Posted On
Wednesday, 18 February 2015 11:14

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Naval Industry News - France, Egypt

New
Success in Egypt for DCNS and its FREMM Frigate (plus some technical
details)

On
Monday 16 February, DCNS signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence
of the Arab Republic of Egypt for the supply of a FREMM multi-mission
frigate. This agreement strengthens the strategic relations initiated
by DCNS last July with the signing of a contract to supply four Gowind®
2500 corvettes. Egypt becomes the second export customer of the FREMM
after Morocco.

Hervé Guillou, Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of DCNS, declared: “I would like to thank the Egyptian authorities
for the trust they have once again placed in us, for the participation
in the modernization of their defence system. DCNS will be keen to demonstrate
that this trust is justified. The Group will do its utmost to ensure that
this program is completed successfully.”

The frigate, the current Normandie, will be delivered mid-2015 after some
outfitting work, and the first phase of the training programme. The logistics
and support services provided to the Egyptian Navy will then continue
over several years.

For Hervé Guillou, “With this historical agreement, DCNS
is pursuing a policy of long-term partnership with the Egyptian Navy and
its shipyards, with whom we plan to invest in the long-term to develop
their skills and industrial facilities. In addition, strengthening our
relations opens new perspectives for the sale of vessels.”

The FREMM delivered to the Egyptian Navy will be taken from the series
currently under construction for the French Navy. To ensure that the operational
capacities of the French Navy will not be affected, DCNS will speed up
the rate of production of subsequent ships.

“I would like to stress that this success would not have been possible
without a close-knit team in France and the tireless support of the French
state services, in particular the French defence procurement agency (DGA)
and the French Navy, who accepted the postponement of delivery of its
second frigate.”

Signature
of the FREMM contract between Hervé Guillou President of DCNS and
the Chief of Egyptian Navy, in presence of French Defence Minister Le
Drian and Egyptian President Al-Sissi.

FREMM technical characteristics

Multi-mission frigates are versatile vessels able to respond to all types
of air, marine, submarine or land threats. FREMM frigates are at the cutting
edge of technology and are perfectly suited to ensuring that client navies
are able to respond to current threats and the growing needs of maritime
security.

Comment and additional detailsEgypt is reinforcing its naval capabilities in prevision of the
new Suez Canal opening planned for this summer. Navy
Recognition learned that DCI will be in charge of the formation of
the Egyptian sailors. The Normandie Frigate was originally
expected to be commissioned with the French Navy at the end of 2014. The
same frigate was supposed to conduct the first live firing test of MBDA's
Naval Cruise Missile (NCM) late last year or early this year. A source
from the French defense industry explained to Navy Recognition
the NCM mission computers would be taken off board because the Egyptian
Navy won't be getting the cruise missiles (because of export restriction).
It is not clear whether or not other equipment will be taken off, such
as the 16x Sylver A70 vertical launch systems (strike length VLS used
to accommodate the NCM), the two Nexter Narwhal remote weapon systems
and the two SIGEN R ECM Electronic Warfare systems. DCNS, MBDA, Thales
and Nexter didn't wish to comment on these technical aspects.

It has to be noted that the above systems are not present on the Mohammed
VI Frigate sold to the Royal Moroccan Navy and this FREMM is only
fitted with 16x Sylver A50 vertical launch systems for 16x ASTER 15 missiles.
The current Normandie will probably end up looking like the Mohammed
VI once delivered to Egypt unless:» The Egyptian
Navy could have made the request to replace the 16x Sylver A70 with a
second row of A50 model in order to deploy up to 32x ASTER 15 SAM.
» For commonality with its four future Gowind corvettes, the Egyptian
Navy may have requested to replace the A70 VLS with A43 model: The FREMM
would then be fitted with 16x VLS cells similar to those fitted on its
corvettes and would therefore be able to launch up to 16x VL MICA missiles
in addition to the 16x ASTER 15.» An even
cheaper alternative of course would be to leave the 16x A70 cells in place
since they can launch ASTER 15 missiles as well. The Egyptian Navy FREMM
would then be able to deploy up to 32x ASTER 15.

Another unknown is the helicopter. FREMM Frigates are very potent anti-submarine
warfare designed from the start to operate with a dedicated ASW helicopter,
an NH90 NFH in the case of the French Navy. An helicopter was not part
of the deal. Egypt will probably use one of its Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprites
until they procure NH90 or Panther maritime helicopters from Airbus Helicopters.
The possibilities are many and we will have to wait to find out the final
configuration of the future Egyptian Navy FREMM, the current Normandie.

French
Navy picture showing the forward section of the Royal Moroccan Navy's
FREMM Mohammed VI. Note that there are only 16x SYLVER vertical
launch systems.